Health & Safety

Shifty supplements: dangers of dietary aids

Airman 1st Class Austin Harvill 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — With summer on the horizon, everyone is looking to get that perfect beach body. For many of us, reaching that goal means hitting the gym, eating better and eventually fitting into the bikini or trunks gathering dust in the closet.

While those goals to become more physically fit are admirable, service members should be cautious about adding supplementation to their workout regimen.

Certain commercial supplements are not allowed for use by service members due to health concerns. Members should understand what to look out for to avoid the consequences, and more importantly the risks, of taking a banned supplement.

“People ask me all the time about what supplements to take or not to take,” said Tony Arroyo, Health and Wellness Center exercise physiologist. “I tell them all the same thing – just try to avoid them.”

Arroyo suggested avoiding supplements because the Food and Drug Administration is not the authority determining the risks of these products. Instead of being FDA-approved, supplement manufacturers alone are responsible for ensuring supplement safety. While they do need approval from the FDA in order to introduce a new ingredient into a supplement, manufacturers do not need clearance to utilize the pre-approved ingredients in any combination they see fit.

Unfortunately, it seems a supplement will only be banned after a tragedy occurs as a result of the unknown effects of “new and improved” formulas.

In 2011, two Soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, died of heart failure during physical training. Doctors later determined that use of dimethylamylamine, or DMAA, was a factor in their deaths. In July 2012, another Soldier died during physical fitness training. His death was also linked to DMAA usage.

While people rarely die from supplementation, service members can still face consequences if they test positive for a banned ingredient. Since it is up to the commander’s discretion, members can face a letter of reprimand or even courts-martial, according to the Langley Air Force Base legal office.

Trying to determine each and every banned supplement by their ingredients is risky, so service members should be wary of any kind of supplementation and should avoid them outright, said Arroyo.

If members do choose to use supplements, Arroyo urged them to follow the instructions for the products.

“A lot of people like to believe more is better when it comes to supplementation,” Arroyo said. “If you want to avoid injury, however, it is important to read the labels and follow them to the letter.”

Arroyo also cautioned against replacing traditional, proven methods of health improvement with supplementation that promises to help users reach their goals quicker with less work.

“With all of the information out there on supplementation, not to mention people’s personal opinions, researching the effects of supplementation can be confusing,” Arroyo said. “Most of the time, service members just throw away their money when it comes to supplementation.”

If a member decides to consumer supplements, however, Arroyo stressed the importance of a good diet while utilizing supplementation in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Anything you find in a supplement can be found in the foods we eat every day,” Arroyo said. “Supplementation means just that; a supplement to your diet.”

Although there are some unknowns concerning supplementation in our diets, there is one fact that is indisputable – where they are purchased doesn’t make a difference to their legitimacy.

“Many people believe buying supplements on base means the supplement is safe to use and approved by the military,” Arroyo said. “That isn’t always the case.”

Companies who sell these products on base do not fall under any military organization, and while they often try to comply with military interests, they do not have to forbid selling certain supplements, said Arroyo.

Army and Air Force Exchange Services and GNC have pulled some supplements off shelves.

Looking good in the summer often means staying fit and eating healthy, and supplements might seem to help while working towards a perfect physique. However, fitness is a year-round effort, so stay vigilant about supplementation in order to spend summer at the beach, not the commander’s office.

Local Military Discounts

Pentagon Channel

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance tax center opened its doors today for Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve and Public Health personnel. There are 35 volunteers at the VITA office to include 27 tax preparers with the ability to conduct 10 appointments at a time. “The volunteers here are IRS certified tax preparers,” according to Skip...

COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS) — Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted Harvard-trained historian Carter Woodson....

Scholarship applications available Davis-Monthan Officer’s Spouses’ Club and the Enlisted Spouses Association are accepting scholarship applications from Military Dependents who are: -Spouses pursuing an Undergraduate or graduate degree -Graduating High School Seniors Application packets are available at: Davis-Monthan Thrift Shop, Airman and Family Readiness Center, School Liaison Office...

An aircraft crash training exercise was held at the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance range here Feb. 19. The simulated crash site was scattered throughout a two mile radius. “The idea was to test the base’s capabilities...

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO – RANDOLPH, TEXAS — Confucius once said that in order for a man to move a mountain he must first begin by carrying away its small stones. Now, if one is to imagine the Air Force as that giant mountain, how does an Airman begin trying to move it? That is,...

Information

Publisher

Desert Lightning News is published by Aerotech News and Review, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under written agreement with the 355th Fighter Wing. Aerotech News and Review prepares all editorial content for Desert Lightning News. Submissions may be edited to conform to the AP Style Guide, local policy and Air Force style as required by Air Force Instruction 35-101.

Disclaimer

The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD, the Department of the Air Force or Aerotech News and Review, of the products or services advertised.Contents of Desert Lightning News are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, DoD or the Department of the Air Force.